These last few days of the year always leave me feeling as if I’m seated at the tip of a precipice. Or perhaps even dangling off the edge. No matter how man-made and arbitrary the dates on our calendars, it’s difficult to escape the sense of endings and beginnings. Some years, I embrace the line in the sand and come up with a set of goals to tackle starting January 1st. Other years, I feel more contrary about the entire process and sail into the new year as if it were merely an extension of the previous one. This year, I’m feeling more on the low-key side. I have ongoing projects that will carry into 2023, and a few things I wish I’d finished already, but I choose not to beat myself up about it.
It’s been a year in transition - aging fur-babies, plus we no longer have feral cats living in our garage. (The possum has been evicted) The youngest feral went into rescue (and was adopted) and the oldest spent her final moments in my lap. We did add another youngster to our feline population indoors. She’s settling in nicely. She’s obviously ours as she has weird allergies. The catio needed to be redesigned to avoid her encountering bees. Of course the temps were near 100 degrees the days I spent taking apart the old one and reconfiguring it into its new shape.
I’m sure we’ve rearranged the furniture in the house and which room was for what at least once. We’ve rearranged the studio in the garage at least twice. Now it has a day bed as well as exercise equipment and room to attach stuff to the wall for exercise purposes.
We’ve done a lot of pre-retirement house hunting looking for what style, size, location may suit us. And we may be coming full circle with remaining in Southern CA. There are a few years to go before we embark on this journey.
As for writing, I’m taking a break. Too much going on, not enough sleep, shifting priorities and dreams that haven’t yet settled into this new landscape. I may hare off in a different direction, or not. Time will tell, as it always does. Something is calling me, but the task seems rather daunting.
Reading has been off and on throughout the year. I’ve read old favorites and a few new ones. The new ones are mostly mystery and romance.
The end of each year includes a long time off of the day job. Which translates to getting tasks done on the perpetual to-do list. Ending the year accomplishing things is good.
It’s been a year in transition - aging fur-babies, plus we no longer have feral cats living in our garage. (The possum has been evicted) The youngest feral went into rescue (and was adopted) and the oldest spent her final moments in my lap. We did add another youngster to our feline population indoors. She’s settling in nicely. She’s obviously ours as she has weird allergies. The catio needed to be redesigned to avoid her encountering bees. Of course the temps were near 100 degrees the days I spent taking apart the old one and reconfiguring it into its new shape.
I’m sure we’ve rearranged the furniture in the house and which room was for what at least once. We’ve rearranged the studio in the garage at least twice. Now it has a day bed as well as exercise equipment and room to attach stuff to the wall for exercise purposes.
We’ve done a lot of pre-retirement house hunting looking for what style, size, location may suit us. And we may be coming full circle with remaining in Southern CA. There are a few years to go before we embark on this journey.
As for writing, I’m taking a break. Too much going on, not enough sleep, shifting priorities and dreams that haven’t yet settled into this new landscape. I may hare off in a different direction, or not. Time will tell, as it always does. Something is calling me, but the task seems rather daunting.
Reading has been off and on throughout the year. I’ve read old favorites and a few new ones. The new ones are mostly mystery and romance.
The end of each year includes a long time off of the day job. Which translates to getting tasks done on the perpetual to-do list. Ending the year accomplishing things is good.
Happy and Healthy New Year to you and yours! I appreciate your blog very much and am glad you’ve kept it going.